Description

Programming languages are the means by which we instruct a computer to perform tasks for us. We use different programming languages to accomplish different tasks, but what really are the differences between various languages?

In this course we adopt the viewpoint that programming is modeling, so different programming languages offer us different ways to model our applications. We will examine a number of different paradigms for programming, and in each case look at one or more concrete examples of programming languages that support that paradigm. Specifically we will look at languages like Postscript, Haskell, Prolog, JavaScript and EToys. We will also take a brief look at the semantics of programming languages, and we will see how semantic descriptions can be made directly executable to obtain a rapid prototype of a language.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

distinguish the key programming paradigms and know how to apply them

know how to program a stack machine

understand different forms of polymorphism

exercise basic skills in functional programming

understand how the lambda calculus offers a basic semantic foundation for programming

understand the role of static typing in object-oriented programming

exercise basic skills in logic programming

Grading

The final grade in the course will be based 20% on exercises and 80% on the final exam.